Security seals are basically objects that one can use to seal things. With its help, one can detect if there is any theft, unauthorized opening, or tampering with evidence. It becomes easy for the users to identify any illegal activity or if there is any misuse of the objects. It is impossible to open a sealed container without breaking the seal. The brown numbered security tape is a tamper-evident seal that is mostly used by companies, agencies, and also businesses to ensure the complete safety of their package.
What Are Security Seals?
A security seal refers to a broad category of tamper-proof sticker mechanisms in the business world. Security seals serve as a way to protect the items. Also, when the items are transported, the tamper-proof stickers and seal can reveal If someone has tampered with the locking mechanism or not. This way, both the company and the customer will get assurance that their product is untouched.
They highlight tampering attempts and aid in detecting contamination, manipulation, drug trafficking, the concealment of weapons and explosives, and the theft of products while in transit. Businesses can use security seals in a variety of contexts around the world.
The reason behind this extensive use is that the security seal has significant advantages, including the fact that they are tamper-resistant, works as a deterrent to tampering or unauthorized access, and gives proof if tampering does occur. The primary function of a tamper-proof seal tape is content restriction.
The History Of Security Seals
The first official seals were engraved in stone, wood, and metal during the reign of Pharaohs and Kings; it was the first introduction of the security seals.
Messengers used the seal and pressed it into the melted wax to seal packages containing jewels and documents while they were en route. If there were some changes or the seal was replaced, the receiver would know that someone had tampered with the document. Servants or scribes frequently examined the seals and could easily see any fraud or tampering. In fact, this is what the current security seal does.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, the business introduced several mechanical seals to seal rail carriers, banks, couriers, etc. That is continuing now.
There were initially only a handful of distinct types of seals. In the last century, companies have sought different types of seals. There are now many more seals, and they have several uses. Also, the expansion of International ocean containers; gave rise to a whole industry of cable doors, heavy bolts, and some new security mechanisms.
Mechanical seals come in various sizes and materials, from small, lightweight security seals to massive steel and iron objects that act as barriers against illegal access. In fact, more recent developments consist of advanced electronic gadgets with RFID asset tracking and recording functions.
New packaging security tapes, labels, thermally activated inks, high-tech adhesives, and holographic images are also available. If someone removes the security tape, these materials may leave an impression or damage a printed pattern.
How Do They Work?
A security seal indicates whether a locking mechanism has been opened, revealing unauthorized access to restricted items like cases, boxes, cabinets, doors, bags, or specialized equipment like first aid kit boxes or fire extinguishers.
Security seals guard against theft, contamination by outside parties, and the storage of illicit products. Before reaching its destination, there are several people who handle the shipments of goods or documents, so there is always a possibility that someone might tamper with it. That is why keeping the records in a sealed deposit bag is vital.
The security seal is one of just two ways to determine whether the contents are authentic; the other way is to check whether the container itself is intact. It does save time and money by avoiding the need for numerous thorough security checks.
Security seals are classified into many categories and used for various purposes. Consumer goods like condiment jars and medicine bottles include some of the most well-known security seals. These seals typically appear as push-top lids or foil wrapping. As a result, opening the bottle to access its contents requires breaking the seal.
A security seal is another method for protecting confidential documents. These documents are sealed with the help of a highly adhesive void label, so if someone has removed the seal, there will be an impression left on the paper. To protect sensitive documents, one can use thermal-printed seals that change color if tampered with.
The Advantages Of Security Seals
Using safety seals by businesses that sell goods to consumers has many advantages, one of which is customer protection. Customers like the assurance that a product hasn’t been tampered with that are provided by using security seal stickers. Additionally, businesses employ them to reduce theft, especially the models with alarms that stop people from stealing goods.
Theft Protection
A tamper-proof plastic security seal’s ability to prevent theft is one of its most significant advantages. Suppose the package contains some important and costly product. In that case, it becomes extremely important to ensure their safety, as if the product gets damaged or stolen, it will severely affect customer retention.
The containers’ transferable security label seal is a wall that effectively deters thieves from taking the goods. The maker of plastic seals uses high-quality raw materials to create sturdy seals to serve their purpose.
Avoid Unauthorized Access
The containers are secured with security seals to prevent unwanted access. If the container is not sealed, anyone can open it and put any prohibited items inside. Serious repercussions could result from this, encouraging illegal activity and harming people. However, if a high-quality stock total transfer void tape is placed, it cannot be easily removed until it is cut.
Various Applications
Security seals also have the significant benefit of being widely applicable. They are extensively used in warehouses, cash boxes, bank bags, cash-in-transit, postal services, airline cargo, etc. Numerous other applications require excellent pull strength, such as rail transportation, law enforcement, logistics services, tote boxes, and other uses that offer complete protection and resist any theft or attack.
Internal Security
Using tamper-evident labels is advantageous for safeguarding internal security because staff members can steal from or tamper with valuable things and outsiders. Companies can identify members who have tampered with documents with the help of residue stickers and custom tamper seal stickers, and that helps them to find the offender quickly.
Ease Of Use
Security seals such as adhesive sealing tapes are simple to unroll on various materials and media. Label seals are also highly useful because they can be swiftly applied and are appropriate for little goods like envelopes, bags, parcels, cabinet doors, and drawers.
Types Of Security Seal
When it comes to types of security seals, you can interchange them with security tapes, too, since they are also used as security seals. Tamper-evident tape is a popular type; there are destructible labels, transferable security tape, etc.
Let’s take a look at the type of security seals.
Tamper-evident tape
It features one or more signs or entrance barriers that, if broken or absent, can reasonably be expected to provide tangible proof to customers that tampering has occurred. These can be of three types: non-transferable, fully transferable, and partial transferable. The transferable tapes protected the products by leaving a visible trail of apparent tampering.
Destructible PVC tamper-evident tape
Another type is destructible tape. One cannot remove this tape without ripping it into tiny fragments once it has been peeled off and stuck to the object’s surface. Any attempt that has been made to remove the label, is clearly visible.
Residue Void Security Labels
When removed from a surface, total transfer security tape leaves a void message as a residue. These tamper-evident seals offer undeniable proof that the product has been tampered with, which is helpful in businesses where it’s essential to ensure that the goods are secure in the hands of consumers. Tamper-proof stickers can be made to display a particular company’s name or emblem in addition to the phrase “void.”
Non-Residue Void Labels
Non-transfer tamper stickers do not leave any residue on the product because the statement is printed directly on the sticker. Since no sign of tampering is left on the surface, the only method for anyone to detect it is by removing the seal.
For industries that often use these seals and need clean surfaces to apply as many of them as they need, the non-residue security labels are appropriate. Additionally, this kind is mainly utilized to determine whether someone tampered with a car, computer, laptop, or voting machine.
Wire Seal
Wire seals are strong seals that cover small openings in valves, lockable doors, and other objects. Some cable seals can be utilized in high-security circumstances, such as international freight shipping because they meet ISO ratings for high security. The wire’s length depends on the size of the task, but the extra cable can be cut. Additionally, they are available in various cable sizes, which commonly range from 1.5mm to 5mm.
The Barrier Seal
A barrier seal also known as a separation seal keeps the compressor shaft bearings and the gas seal apart. If the primary and secondary gas seals catastrophically fail, it also acts as the final line of defense. A metal seal that combines tamper-evident characteristics with a powerful physical barrier is often removed using bolt cutters. These seals are the best choice to use when you have to protect containers of high-value products—some seals also come with anti-spin features that guard against any attack technique.
Bolt Seal
Bolt seals are another high-security seal alternative with a sophisticated locking mechanism but self-locking, making them simple and tool-free to install. The seal is created manually by attaching a steel bolt and a tamper-evident portion.
They can be customized for additional security levels in color, barcoding, and print. These seals are perfect for trailer door locks, cross-border shipments, and containers. Usage of bolt cutters is necessary to remove these heavy-duty seals.
Plastic Seal: Fixed Length and Pull-Tight Seals
The most vital plastic seals are fixed-length ones, which have to break strengths ranging from 80 to 135 lbs. These seals perform incredibly well at keeping track of shipments’ cargo safely. When cost is an issue, fixed-length seals are an excellent choice because they are affordable.
Pull-tight seals are comparable to plastic fixed-length seals but are more flexible and come in a broader range of breaking strengths. Pull-tight seals, for instance, can be used to seal various items, such as hazardous trash, fire extinguishers, security bags, and car doors. Because they are adaptable, adjustable plastic seals are a fantastic choice when you have various needs.
Cash Deposit Seal Bags
A cash deposit seal bag is a small bag used to transfer documents, small quantities of cash, notes, and checks. They are created specifically for the movement of money. The compact design is perfect for carrying bank notes safely, but there is also space for coins. These tamper-evident deposit bags typically feature a self-adhesive tamper-evident seal closure or a tamper-evident lock. Since the cash bag is durable, one can keep and move money without worrying.
Padlock seal
Small and relatively simple to use, padlock seals are a great option. They are frequently employed to stop the forceful opening of doors. While plastic padlock seals are best for securing zipper bags, first aid kits, etc., wire padlock seals are best for locking meters and drums. Users can check to verify if the seal is properly locked, and the seal cover will fracture if any attempt is made to open the seal, providing undeniable proof of attempted interference.
Metal Strap Seals
They are more resilient than plastic strap seals because of their material. Metal strap seals are a solid option for trucking cargo, and they can have personalized numbering, printing, and barcoding added to boost their security level.
Applications Of Security Seals
Various levels of protection are provided by visible security labels in multiple industries, depending on the company’s goals. Businesses can select low, medium, or high-risk seals while providing the necessary functionality.
Used In Medical Field
In medical situations, security seals are also used; however, they are frequently overlooked. In addition to being installed on first aid kits, security seals are a standard requirement for all emergency gear, including airline duty-free trolleys, parachutes, and rescue assistance packages.
These seals guarantee that the contents of emergency supplies are undamaged and untouched, and they are ready to use without any issue. Drugs, for example, must be kept in a place that is strictly supervised, and blood samples and samples for important tests must also be properly sealed to reduce the possibility of contamination. These seals are easily destructible labels to save time in emergencies.
Also, not only samples, various medical wastes need to be transported carefully in a sealed container or bag.
Lab Testing
Safety seals are often employed in laboratory testing to verify that no one has tampered with the samples. These stickers ensure the security of vials and help lab technicians recognize them. For example, the test samples are sealed in labs and testing facilities so that it is possible to verify their status and make sure they are linked to the right person and method.
Transfer Of Cash
Cash in transit is governed to stop fraud during transport or traceability losses. To correctly identify cash operations, the banking industry and specialized transport firms must utilize security seals. For example, it becomes important to ensure safety when transferring money from one place to another, such as from a bank to ATM.
Security printing, custom printing, holograms, etc., are frequently used to help detect and deter tampering with cash-in transit.
Similar to this, other passive security measures used to transport assets include pouches used for carrying private documents and money pouches.
Protecting Classified Documents
Evidence security labels are beneficial for protecting sensitive data that unauthorized people shouldn’t view. Applying safety seals to all documents that contain classified data is the most efficient technique for organizations to ensure that no one tampers with sensitive information. The seals should be tamper-evident cash bags because these offer the best proof of tampering with confidential material, such as client data or a business strategy that shouldn’t be made public.
Application In Airline Industry
The airline industry gains from using airport security seals by placing these seals on items or locations that passengers shouldn’t access. As a result, passengers wouldn’t be able to enter specific spaces or cupboards, endangering everyone on the plane’s safety.
Transport Of Ammunition And Artillery
Another under-reported application of security seal stickers is the carriage of artillery and ammunition. However, security seals must be used since it is vital to protect the package or shipment carrying weapons and the contents of containers and boxes. A security seal’s primary goals are to prevent and show evidence of tampering.
Many seals are being created to satisfy specific requirements for various applications. Some of these requirements are established by initiatives like CTPAT and other international standards. Still, the security seals’ conditions are frequently determined by the application or particular circumstance in which they are being used.
Why It Is Worth To Spend On Security Seals
Security seals offer the business the utmost security of its product, which also leads to customer satisfaction. It happens more frequently than most people do not realize the importance of security expenses. The risk and repercussions are not worth it, even if it is permissible to reduce expenses whenever possible.
Choosing a less expensive seal would result in poorer product safety. The adverse effects of utilizing low-quality seals do not balance out the cost savings due to the loss of the assurance of the quality of the goods and the risk of having things stolen. So, businesses should always invest in the best quality security seals, such as custom printed security tape with perforation and it is worth it.
Tips To Make Security Seals More Effective
Keeping goods and merchandise safe and secure is the priority when storing or transferring them. But selecting to use security seals will only get you so far. Companies can use a variety of best practices to maximize the effectiveness of a security seal.
- It might not be possible to complete the task with just one kind of seal. Having multiple levels of security is crucial in case a security measure is hacked. The most significant defense against this is to use a variety of security seals, serial number & perforation security tapes, and tamper-proof cash bags combinations. One can also include visual identifying measures to create a distinctive visual marking during sealing that discourages potential theft or tampering.
- The effectiveness of the security seals is increased because of visible and psychological deterrents, which prevent potential intruders before they even try. These deterrents include labels with warnings, illustrations and serial decals to cover the seal, and strategies for unique coloring identification.
- Using the same security measures again will make it easier for thieves to figure them out. One of the best ways to combat predictability is to vary the tactics. Businesses might use techniques like custom tamper-proof stickers, customized hologram total transfer tamper evident label rotating colors, or using alphanumeric characters at random to obfuscate patterns. Rotate the size, model, or kind of seal you use each time. Various techniques can prevent someone from figuring out the security measures and potentially damage the items.
- Seal inspection and process training should be provided to those who regularly handle freight and inventory. In this method, they can determine when seals require maintenance, repair, or replacement with a different kind. Don’t just assume that your team is aware of what has to be done; thoroughly and frequently teach them, especially whenever new team members or seal types are introduced.
- Once the chosen seals have been delivered, it’s crucial to visually check them to ensure that no part of the initial supply chain has tampered with them. Following that, the seals should be kept in a safe place that is only accessible to authorized people and has a serial or barcode number that can be tracked by a complete log of the given seals.
A security seal cannot leave the secure storage site unless the outgoing seal logs are kept current, accurate, and include all necessary information. These logs should contain the release time, the seal’s description, how it was applied, the vehicle’s license plate, and who installed the seals. The security seal through the framework shouldn’t be operated by anybody other than the proper professionals who have been instructed on the correct installation procedure.
You can use these suggestions to get the most out of your security seals.
Conclusion
Security seals are a mechanism for preventing and identifying unauthorized closure openings. Unlike locks, they are not designed to be used more than once before being destroyed. Some security seals serve as a seal, a robust disposable lock, and proof of entry or violation. The tampering indicators enable the user to start an investigation and ultimately find and stop the breach when security seals are discovered to have been tampered with or violated.
The seal does not prevent entry. However, a more robust security seal can deter thieves and lessen the risk of damage or the theft of “convenient” items by those who don’t care about leaving a trail of destruction. For perfect security solutions, you can contact us to get security seal stickers, custom tamper seal stickers, and other security options.
